1. British Costume. A Complete History of the Dress of the Inhabitants of the British Islands. By J. R. Planché, Esq. With Illustrations. A new Edition. London. 1847. 2. Costume in England. By F. W. Fairholt, F.S.A. With above six hundred Engravings, drawn on wood by the Author. London. 1846. 3. The Book of Costumes-or Annals of Fashion. By a Lady of Rank. With numerous Engravings. London. 1846. Ir suited us for centuries to circulate a well- There is one fallacy, however, still curturned set of fallacies respecting woman's rent against woman, which we must take incapacity for keeping a secret-the motive this public opportunity of renouncing. A being merely thereby to secure an innocent certain ungallant old Father, soured by the scapegoat, on whom to lay the shame of our circumstances of his lot, relieved some of own indiscretions. Now we are too happy his spleen by defining woman toor pilowhen one of the sex will condescend to be- xooμov-Anglice-an animal that delights come the confidante of any secrets we may in finery and this saying, naturally soothpossess, and feel them honored by her ac- ing to disappointed laymen as well as those ceptance, whether she keeps them or no. of the Father's own order, continued an For centuries we agreed that education was authority even to the time of the amiable a dangerous thing for her-only because we Spectator, who was not ashamed to quote felt how much better use she would make of it. We had, nevertheless, long ago serious it than ourselves: and Milton taught his doubts on the venerable dictum and are, daughters to pronounce Greek and Latin therefore, the more obliged to the books so that they might read the classics aloud now enumerated especially that which for his pleasure, but forbade their under- | being written by "a Lady of Rank," is not standing the meaning of a word for their to be questioned-for the accumulated eviown-for which he deserved to be blind. dence they have produced in favor of our Now, we not only make them welcome to hesitation. We think they have made it help themselves to any of the fruits of sci- pretty clear that in all that appertains to ence, or flowers of literature, as plentifully finery in dress, the sex to which the Father as they please, but are too happy, as all himself belonged has not only always kept editors and publishers will testify, when we pace, but frequently outstripped the other: can prevail upon them to help us as well. and that whilst our poets, moralists, and VOL. XI. No. II. 10 ART OF DRESS. covers only half his person, and does not fit His coat is a contrivance which that; while his waistcoat, if a strait one, would be an excellent restraint for one who can contentedly wear the rest of the costume. Each article, in addition, being under such strict laws, that whoever attempts to alter vanity than his fellows, and not for more If or embellish, only gets credit for more clergy, have been satirizing and denouncing he can even make what is called an impres[June, the extravagances and absurdities of female sion--a conquest is out of the question. apparel, we have been flaunting and strut- Each taken separately is as absurd as the ting away, under cover of our own fire, far emptiest fop could have devised, and as more extravagant and absurd than they. ugly as the staunchest Puritan could have It results from Mr. Planché's History and desired. The hat is a machine which an the other meritorious works now before us, impartial stranger might impute a variety that in our own favored country at least we of useful culinary purposes to, but would cannot point to one single excess or caprice never dream of putting on his head. His which has appeared on the beautiful person stock looks like a manacle with which he of woman, that has not had its counterpart, has escaped from prison, or his cravat like as bad or worse, upon the ugly body of a lasso, with which he has been caught in man. We have had the same effeminate the act. stuffs-the same fine laces-the same rich to their name of vater-mordern (or fatherHis shirt-collars may be entitled furs-the same costly jewels. We have murderers) in Germany, but certainly had as much gold and embroidery, and never did any other execution there or elsemore tinsel and trumpery. We have worn where. long hair and large sleeves, and tight waists, and full petticoats. We have sported stays and stomachers-muffs, car-rings, and lovelocks. We have rouged, and patched, and padded, and laced. Where they have indulged a little excess in one part, we have broken out ten times worse in another. they have had head-dresses like the moon's crescent, we have had shoes like a ram's taste. horn. If they have lined their petticoats with whalebone, we have stuffed our trunk- matters is by any means forbidden, or even Not that the exercise of taste in such hose with bran. If they have wreathed lace restrained, by us. ruffs round their lovely throats, we have it were, being, as it is, a powerful instinct It would be dreadful if buttoned them about our clumsy legs. If in our nature. they carried a little mirror openly on their and nothing surely but the most egregious The only mistake has been, fans, we have concealed one slily in our conceit could have led us into it, in imaginpockets. In short, wherever we look into ing it was ever intended to be exercised on the history of mankind, whether through ourselves! Even if woman had been made the annals of courtiers, the evidence of as ugly as we, she would still, no doubt, painters, or, as now, through the conde- have been the object of our highest intelscending researches of a Lady of Rank, we lectual devotion; but woman find two animals equally fond of dress; but "exceedingly fair," a creature not only fitted only one worth bestowing it on:-which for all the deference and homage our minds was made the Greek Father doubtless knew as well as could bestow, but obviously intended for In this age, however, it would be difficult trousseaus our pockets could furnish; enthe most elegant wardrobes and brilliant to impugn us for any over-indulgence of titled on every principle of reason as well this propensity-the male costume being as the Bridgewater Treatises to the very reduced to a mysterious combination of the handsomest Allowances that the parental or inconvenient and the unpicturesque, which, conjugal purse can possibly afford. except in the light of a retribution, it is puzzling to account for. Hot in summer-means in all cases what it should be: but It is very true that our liberality is by no cold in winter-useless for either keeping let no woman, therefore, suppose that any off rain or sun-stiff but not plain-bare man can be really indifferent to her apwithout being simple-not durable, not be-pearance. coming, and not cheap. Man is like a cor- deadened in his mind by a slatternly negliThe instinct may have been rupt borough: the only way to stop the gent mother, or by plain, maiden, lowevil has been to deprive him of his franchise. church sisters; but she may be sure it is He-we mean the man of civil life-the there, and, with a little adroitness, capable military are not at present in question-the of revival. Of course the immediate effect pekin is no longer even allowed the option of making himself ridiculous. Not a single article is left in his wardrobe with which we. from the university with such a stiff pair that on |